Handheld scanner reproduces any object in digital form

By Tom | Small Business

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Chile-based ThinkerThing has already made 3D modelling easy by using an EEG headband to turn users’ thoughts into shapes. Now Fuel3D is a handheld scanner that can produce a high-resolution 3D model of any object.

Typically, 3D scanning requires large equipment that can cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. The Fuel3D is a portable device that can be held in one hand and features cameras that capture both the geometric and color qualities of the object in stereo, fusing the images into one high-resolution 3D model. The device requires no calibration in order to use, and operates in the same way as a point-and-shoot digital camera. According to the creators, the Fuel3D works well for capturing faces, body parts, fabrics, plants and inanimate objects, offering realistic texture rendering and outputs in industry-standard .stl, .obj and .ply formats. The video below offers more information on how the product works:

Having raised over USD 320,000 through a successful Kickstarter campaign, the first Fuel3Ds will ship to backers who pledged USD 990 in summer 2014. Are there other ways to make 3D imaging easier for consumers and amateurs?